Cuphea plant named ‘Ri Reeda’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Cuphea  plant named ‘Ri Reeda’, characterized by its compact and low mounding growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large red-colored flowers that are held above the foliage on strong pedicels; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Cuphea procumbens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Ri Reeda’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cuphea, botanically known as Cuphea procumbens and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Ri Reeda’.

The new Cuphea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely branching Cuphea cultivars with numerous and attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Cuphea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2002 in Gilroy, Calif. of a proprietary selection of Cuphea procumbens identified as code number 26-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Cuphea procumbens identified as code number 16-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Seeds collected from the stated cross-pollination were sown in September, 2003. The new Cuphea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gilroy, Calif. December, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Cuphea by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gilroy, since January, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Cuphea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Cuphea have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Ri Reeda’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Ri Reeda’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Cuphea:

-   -   1. Compact and low mounding growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large red-colored flowers that are held above the foliage on         strong pedicels.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Cuphea can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Cuphea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cuphea have smaller leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Cuphea have shorter internodes than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Cuphea have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Cuphea differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cuphea have smaller leaves than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Cuphea have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Cuphea and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have         magenta-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Cuphea can also be compared to plants of the Cuphea ‘Firefly’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif. plants of the new Cuphea differed from plants of ‘Firefly’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cuphea had shorter internodes than plants         of ‘Firefly’.     -   2. Plants of the new Cuphea had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Firefly’.     -   3. Plants of the new Cuphea had brighter red-colored flowers         than plants of ‘Firefly’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Cuphea, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Cuphea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ri Reeda’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Ri Reeda’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Gilroy, Calif. during the late summer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximate commercial Cuphea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 24° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Rooted young plants were pinched one time and had been growing for about four months when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Cuphea procumbens cultivar Ri Reeda. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Cuphea             procumbens identified as code number 26-2, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Cuphea             procumbens identified as code number 16-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About seven to ten days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous annual. Compact and low             mounding growth habit. Freely branching habit, about three             to five lateral branches per plant; early pinching enhances             branching.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm to 13 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 24 cm to 26 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 13 cm to 17 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm to 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.3 cm to 3.3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.         -   Texture.—Hirsute.         -   Color.—Close to 145B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 4.5 cm to 4.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.3 cm to 2.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Hirsute; slightly rugose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Between 138A and 138B.             Fully developed foliage, upper surface: Slightly darker than             137A; venation, close to 145B. Fully developed foliage,             lower surface: Between 138A and 138B; venation, close to             145B.         -   Petiole length.—About 3 mm to 4 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Hirsute.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 142B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single flared tubular flowers.             Freely flowering habit with about five to seven flowers per             cluster. Flowers persistent. Flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             the spring through the early fall in California.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on             the plant.         -   Flower diameter, horizontal axis.—About 3.5 cm to 3.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter, vertical axis.—About 3 cm to 3.3 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 3.5 cm to 4 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape Tubular; slightly orbicular towards the             apex. Length: About 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm. Diameter, towards the             apex: About 6 mm to 8 mm. Color: Close to 53C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Six petals arranged in a single whorl;             two banner (dorsal) petals, two lateral petals and two lower             petals. Banner petals: Length: About 1.9 cm to 2.2 cm.             Width: About 1.9 cm to 2.2 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Emarginate or rounded. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire;             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Hirsute;             rugose. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 53B to 53C; midvein, close to 70A. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 53B to 53C; midvein,             close to 70A. Lateral petals: Length: About 1.2 cm to             1.4 cm. Width: About 0.9 cm to 1.1 cm. Shape: Spatulate.             Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; undulate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Hirsute; rugose. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53B             to 53C; midvein, close to 70A to 70B. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 53B to 53C; midvein, close             to 70A to 70B. Lower petals: Length: About 0.9 cm to 1 cm.             Width: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Hirsute; rugose. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53B to             53C; midvein, close to 70A to 70B. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 53B to 53C; midvein, close             to 70A to 70B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement/shape: Six sepals fused in a single             whorl; calyx, cylindrical tube-shaped. Length: About 1.4 cm             to 1.6 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm to 1.2 cm. Texture, upper             (inner) and lower (outer) surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             Intervenal areas, membraneous. Color, upper (inner) surface:             Below stamen attachment, close to 145C to 145D; veins, close             to 144C; above stamen attachment, 145B to 145D; veins,             between 70A and 72A. Color, lower (outer) surface: Close to             145C; veins, close to 144A or flushed with between N77A and             200B; large patches at petal attachment, close to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Hirsute. Color: Between 142A to             142B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             eleven; lower half of stamen adnate to the calyx. Filament             length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Filament color: Nine filaments,             close to 150D; two filaments, close to 61C. Anther color:             Nine anthers, close to 150D; two anthers, close to 91A.             Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: Close to 156C. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm to             2 cm. Style length: About 1.3 cm to 1.4 cm. Style color:             Close to 145C; towards the stigma, close to 56C. Stigma             color: Between 64C and 64D. Ovary length: About 5 mm to             6 mm. Ovary color: Close to 145C. Fruits/seeds: Fruit and             seed production have not been observed on plants of the new             Cuphea. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Cuphea have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and a wide     range of temperatures. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Cuphea have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Cuphea. 

1. A new and distinct Cuphea plant named ‘Ri Reeda’ as illustrated and described. 